Aisha is a Soundman’s Daughter .
. . and, a True Roots Dawta. She’s trod
the world singing her Ilahfull songs and doing Jah Works. But no
matter where she goes--be it Afrika, Brazil, Israel, Europe,
Australia, Scandinavia,Mexico, or
Japan--she's Uplifted and Inspired the ones who hear her sing.
Her first Jamaican performance came in 2000 at the Augustus
Pablo Benefit. Her American debut came in March 2004 with Mad
Professor when she blessed NYC with a special appearance. Her
first albums, High Priestess and True Roots were produced by
Professor on his Ariwa label, her last two, Zion’s Daughter and
Raise Your Voice were produced by Twinkle Brother Norman Grant.
All are roots classics. When ORB sampled Creator on the hit Blue
Room, and Ministry of Sound sampled it again on Roll to the
Floor, Aisha reached
an even wider audience. After her performance at "Meltdown '03"
at
London's Royal FestivalHall, the
London Telegraph termed her "the closest we have to a femaleBob Marley."

Born Pamela Ross on October 1962 in Wolverhampton, England,
child of
Jamaican parents, she debuted at age eight on her dad’s sound.
Her father, whom she calls my greatest inspiration, also exposed
her tohis precious collection of
vintage American and Jamaican music.

As a teenager, she developed her
skills jamming on Lippy’s Locks City
sound. I was writing conscious stuff then because I think I just
came
into finding myself. Her first break came in ‘79 when she joined
the group Capitol Letters singing backup vocals. She’d just gone
solo in 84when she met Dr. Alimantado,
who was working locally with Neil Fraser,aka Mad Professor. For Professor she cut several tracks,
includingCreator, which released in
1986. Jah Shaka, the respected UK Soundman,Itinually played a dubplate of "Creator" in session, thus
introducing ones to Aisha’s magical & angelic voice singing one
of the deepest and most heartikal of roots tunes. "Creator" not
only became her signature tune, it became a bona fide Roots
Anthem.

By ‘88, Aisha realized that
things were not really on a rootical level, which is why some would receive the music and some probably
wouldnt.
Either I was gonna change and follow the trend, or stick to how
I feltabout my songs. I never write a song without spiritually
experiencingsomething that inspires me to write on a subject or feeling. As
long asI can express myself and people can relate to what I’m
expressing, I’ve
done my work, I think with most of my songs that’s exactly how
peoplerelate to them. Lots of women mention ,Now or Never from True
Roots;you can feel what I’m feeling, though at the time, I never went
back tothat track, just left it, because it hurt so much. I’m Not in
ThisWorld, was another tune women, especially young women relate to;
I was
addressing women’s issues, the things we naturally are goingthrough, while at the same time trying to balance it within
Rasta andremain on a conscious level. I wrote One God, One Aim, when I
was totally on a vibe where I was questioning my faith; I was
determined to
finish it and put it to song.

To Aisha, each performance is special--not just "another gig."
Her tours
and performances have inspired herspiritually. In 1998 she
performed in
Nairobi, at the Kenya Sunbeat Festival. It was a turning point
in my
life because I actually reached Africa, she says. I was playing
for70,000 people and the way they received me . . . I literally had
to
receive people and acknowledge that Im home. I was overwhelmed.

Africa was like feeding the hearts of many. We probably take
music for
granted every day, but you go to places like Africa, and they’re
so
hungry for the food, for the strength and encouragement. Aisha
issaid to mean life, but in Israel in ‘95, she was told it’s an
ancientword for grandmother.I never experienced anything like that
show;
singing, looking at the sea and seeing endless people. You just
think
reggae’s so big, bigger than they let us
think.

Collaborations with reggae legends have enriched Aisha’s life
and
artistry as well.In ‘96, in England, she met Augustus Pablo.It was a pleasure and
a
privilege being around him and actually observing him, she says.
Hegave me so much inspiration in terms of acknowledging what this
music is
all about; the time and the effort. They talked of doing an LP,
andwith him she recorded.Give a Little Love, and two unreleased
tracks,now planned for an upcoming roots daughters compilation.
Accustomed to
the norm, fitting her tunes over pre-recorded rhythm tracks, she
laughs,
Pablo had a way of working that I wasn’t used to. He said you
sing, I
work around you .it was like learning from a legend how music
wasproduced in the early days. One of the last things he told me
was,
Aisha, don’t change, be who you are, continue doing what you’re
doing.

At
the end of the day, I felt his presence spiritually. And of
performing with Jah Shaka, she says, It’s beautiful. Where Shaka
plays,
there’s Life.

In addition to her music, Aisha works with troubled teens. I’ve
been
around young people all my life. I’m here to encourage the young
generation, ‘cause what I see In England is not really
promising; I look
at the youth and think they don’t have any hope; they honestly
believe
there’s no future for them. She’s also raised three sons the
source
of my strength. The eldest, 24 year old Leon aka Quake is a drum
and
bassist with a record releasing soon.

I give thanks for everything that’s come my way; every time I
get up
onstage I could never say I’ve been ungrateful for what I’ve
had, because within the pain I’ve learnt my lessons," Aisha
says. "If I didn’t have the pain, then I don’t think I would
have been able to move on, because there’ve been many pitfalls.
As long as I enjoy what I do inside, and feel quite natural to
express myself the way I’ve been
inspired to. Because all I am is an instrument that the Father
wants to
use to heal people, so I give thanks for every opportunity. Some
have been very small in most people’s eyes it would be a waste
of time but my life is people . . . to feed people.